Covenants, Giving & Fund Raising

Raising money in France for the Chaplaincy is uncomplicated but, of course, is best done in conjunction with your local committee and their treasurer.  Whilst funding from the ICS in the UK is generous, we have the responsibility to be self-sufficient and we are sure that your local committee will be delighted to discuss your plans.

 

Regular personal giving to support the Chaplaincy, ideally by standing order on your French bank, is very tax effective.  Your Treasurer will be happy to provide you with both the RIB for the relevant local bank account to be credited and to tell you how to get back the tax refunds that the French state generously allows.

However, when money is being raised for causes outside the Chaplaincy, either here in France or elsewhere, things are more complex.  France is a secular country and the state insists that all charitable giving, especially those made by a religious organisation, called an Association Cultuelle, complies with strict rules.  In practice, these rules are easy to comply with and cause few problems.  But the rules must be obeyed! 

 

The Chaplaincy cannot give money to any outside person or organisation directly.  The law requires it to pass such monies through a separate entity.  So, to make its giving possible and legal, in 2006 the Chaplaincy created the necessary structure.  Called Chap-Aid, its objectives are to collect and distribute funds to enable it to provide relief to those in need, to support outreach and to care for individuals in France or elsewhere, and to collect and distribute funds to those ends, in a spirit of Christian concern.

 

If you would like to raise money for a charity whose objectives closely match those of the Chaplaincy, this you can do. Taking advice from and then passing the funds through Chap-Aid can provide you with the assurance that the law will not be after you! 

 

However please note that Chap-Aid is not structured to handle more than a limited number of transactions and certainly will be quite selective in how it is used.

Firstly, the Chap-Aid requires that the recipient be a registered charity, either here or abroad. 

 

Before you start doing anything, it is best if your project has the approval of your local church committee, so please talk to their Stewardship Officer.

 

Then, before you start fund raising, it is suggested that you contact Gillian Strachan (acting président) on aquitainechaplain@gmail.com  She will need a summary in writing giving the name and address of the charity, its official charity registration number and a short outline of its purpose, which should match those of Chap-Aid itself as set out above. At the outset, he will be able to advise you on the suitability of the charity. 

 

Before any money can pass through Chap-Aid, both Michael and the Chap-Aid Council will have to give their formal approval of the recipient organisation.  This will not have to await their next formal meeting as such requests are handled via e-mail and phone calls.  With this, you will be ready to go ahead.

 

Ensuring that you meet the legal criteria and going through these steps could save you a great deal of trouble later.

 

Chap-Aid itself cannot yet issue tax certificates for French income tax purposes.  However, for those wishing to reclaim on their tax, which at 60% in France is a very worthwhile sum, a solution can be found.

 

Please note that Chap-Aid can only receive money in the form of cheques in euros drawn on a French bank and made out in favour of Chap-Aid and not the Chaplaincy.  However, anyone wishing to benefit from a UK tax credit can write out a sterling cheque in favour of the UK charity and give it to the Chap-Aid treasurer.  It will then, alongside other funds being transferred to the UK, be forwarded with the request that a UK credit be issued. 

 

It is important to note that UK Gift Aid is a separate issue.  ChapAid and the Chaplaincy are not able to be transfer funds to a UK based charity.  Rather, sterling cheques should be sent directly to the charity concerned.  If they are UK based, the recipient charity may be able to provide a tax certificate for UK tax payers.

 

Legal Details

 

The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine is an Association Cultuelle and is governed by the Law on Associations of 1905.

 

ChapAid is the Charity Association of the Chaplaincy of Aquitaine under the law governing associations of 1901 No W3320060028.

 

The registered office, or Siege Sociale, is Le Presbytère, I Lotissement la Caussade, 33270 Floirac.

 

Tax Efficient Giving                                                       

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The taxmen in the UK and especially in France have generously made provision for taxpayers in their countries to claim back income tax on any money they give to an approved association. 

 

A) In France, for example, you give money to the Chaplaincy either by cheque or by standing order on your bank. At the end of the year you will receive, from the Chaplaincy, a receipt to be included in your tax return.  At the moment, you can claim tax relief of 60% of your donation.  So, for example, if you give E100, the taxman will reduce your tax bill by E60.  Thus E100 given to the Chaplaincy will only cost you E40.  This must be the most effective way to support its ministry. 

 

There are conditions, of course. The amount of giving on which this rebate is allowed must not exceed 20% of your income in any one year.  The recipient must also be a recognised “Association Cultuelle”, which the Chaplaincy of Aquitaine is.

 

It is very helpful for the Chaplaincy to be able to plan its finances in advance.  The most practical way for you to help is to set up a standing order with your bank to ensure regular payments.  To do this, please ask a Church Warden or the local Stewardship Officer in your congregation to let you have a releve d’identite bancaire (RIB) for their bank account.  Take it to your bank and instruct them to transfer to it whatever amount you can spare every month.  This can be changed at any time simply by instructing the bank accordingly.

 

However, if you prefer, payments by cheque and at less regular times are always welcome and receipts can be organised. 

 

B) In the United Kingdom, the authorities are less generous.  The taxman’s contribution has recently been reduced from 20% to 10%. Nevertheless, this is useful. 

 

For UK taxpayers, there are two ways of obtaining this benefit.  

 

1) You can go to the Intercontinental Church Society’s website, www.ics-uk.org and download the form for the Aquitaine Chaplaincy and return it to the ICS.  

 

2) Alternatively, you can contact the Chaplaincy’s Stewardship Officer, Howard Day, whose address is La Grange du Breuil, Le Breuil, 24340 Mareuil sur Belle, whose telephone number is 05 53 60 71 04 and whose e-mail address is howard.day@orange.fr and he will send you a form and process it for you.

 

C) We are currently gathering information on ways in which those who pay taxes in the USA, South Africa and Australia can benefit from their own governments’ generosity.  Any help that you can give will be much appreciated; please send it to Howard Day (see address above).